Tide motor



'Mar.27,192 3L y 1,449,523 J. STL. MCGINN TIDE MOTOR Filed Nov. 1, 1920 2 sheets-sheet l Mar. 27, 1923. 1,449,523

J. sTJ.. MGlNN TIDE MOTOR Filed Noir.. I, 1930 2 Sheets-sheen 2 infamy Patented Mar. 27, i923.

HEUTE@ STATES TOEN ST. LEGER MCGINN, 0F SHAWINIGAN FALLS, QUEBEC, C Aflll'l-LDA.`

TIDE Moron.

Application filed November 1, 1920.` Serial No. 421,118.

To aZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, JOHN ST. LEGER Mo- GINN, of t the town of Shawinigan Falls, Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, a

subject of the King of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful improve-y ments in Tide Motors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The invention relatesto the type ofair compressors described in my pendin United States application No. 391,849 and anadian application No. 242,189 and has tor its ob- '.iect the general improvement ogt hydraulic air compressors as well as to adapt this principle to the development 01"' power from the action of the tides.

To this end. the present invention consists of' a 'basin formed at tide water by means of a d am or sea wall having a height slightly greater than the highest tide.

This wall has a gate at approximately the lowest water level which may occur within the basin, such gate opening inwardly to admit water to the basin when the sea level is hi gher, and being closed by any tendency of the water within the basin to flow outwardly L through it.` y

From a point within the basin aI shaft :io into whichan upwardly extending stand pipe is built is sunk to the desired depth, from the bottom of which a horizontal tunnel leads to a second shaft which has free connnunication with the sea outside the sea :i5 wall; the stand pipe, the shaft, the tunnel and the second shait providing a continuous passage way for water from the basin tothe sea.

The upper end of the stand pipe is enlarged to form the outer wall of a head `piece concentrically placed in which is an air chamber having a closed bottom and extending upward above the highest water level.

The lower portion of this air chamber and the outer wall of the head piece form an annular water duct.

The air chamber is provided with nozzles fixed in its wall and extending outwardly into the water duct, each adapted to present an expanding suction space acted upon by the water which flows downwardly through the water duct and draws bubbles of air from the nozzles.

The tunnel at one point is enlarged to form an air separating chamber, from which a pipe is carried upward to a point above the sea floor, whence one branch extends to an accumulating tank resting upon the sea floor at the saine level as the separating chamber, while a second branch communicates through a weighted check valve with the storage tank whence the service pipe is supplied with compressed air at `even pressure.

For `full comprehension, however, of my invention yreference must be had to the accompanying drawing in which similar `ref-` erence characters indicate the samey parts and wherein: l

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 1-*1 Figure 2 ota single basintidal motor constructed according to `my invention;

Figure 2 is a plan "View thereof;

Figure 3 is a detail end view of one of the air suction nozzles;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4 Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 5 5 Figure 1, and y Figure 6 is a detail sectional view of the weighted check valve in the air supply pipe."

The bottom of the sea is `indicated at 2, the sea wall, preferably of reinforced ooncrete at 3, the inwardly opening gate at 4, the basin at A, the stand pipe at 5, the tun-` nel at 7, the separating chamber at 8, discharge shaft at 9, air pipe at 10 with branches`12 to the accumulating tank and 13 tothe storage tank. The accumulating tank is shown at 14 with blow off at 15, the storage tank at 16, the weighted check valve at 17` and the service 'pipe at 26. Of the head piece the outer wall is indicated at 18, the air chamber at 19, annular water duct at 20, and air suction nozzles at 21. Of the air nozzles 24 indicates the socket plug which may be screwed. into the wall of the air chamber from within, 22 the short pipe, 23 the flap valve, and 25 the angular louver.

I have devised a fixedvhead piece to op-y erate under conditions of changing headwater levels and having a long circumferential line or lip' in proportion to the sec-y tional areaof its water content to provide a more free entrance for the head water while avoiding central vortex e'ects. The head piece rconsists of two cylinders 18 and 19, one within the other forming a water duct 20, between them for the down-How of the headwater.

downwardly expanding The outer cylinder 18 is an enlarged upward lextension of the stand pipe and its lower end is of truncated conical form, the truncated apeX being connected with the upper portion 'of the stand pipe.

The inner cylinder 19 which constitutes the air duct has a closed bottom of conical form the angle of which is more obtuse than the outer cone for the purpose of presenting water passage in order to obtain suction. This air duct extends upwardly above the highest water level.

rl"he wall of the air duct is fitted with a number of nozzles 21 consisting of short pipes ofrelatively small bore, each car- 'riedby a plug Qtin which it may be screwed, theoutejr end of the pipe having a flap valve QBLadapted by a float Q30/to check the inward flow of the water ywhile allowing` free outward flow of the air. This float 280 is so positioned that when the water rises into engagement therewith ity closes the valve 23 and when'it isclear of the water itr acts as a counterweig'ht adapted to produce a slight openingA movementof the'valve. The pipe 22 is .covered by a louver 25 projecting out-` wardly. into rthe duct to within close proximity of its'outer wall. A

This louveris `of angular form to offer minimum `resistance to the downward flow of the; water while the longedge extending alongv each side andthe outer end of it, over which the water flows, tends to set up a partialvacuum "atY the underside; of the louver,

thus imparting to it ,the character of a suction tube and increasing the amount of air whichy would otherwise be ldrawn through the pipe QQQ 4 A storage tank 16 preferably resting upon the sealwall has connection by the pipes 13.','10'vand 12'wi'th both the separat- Aingchalnber 8"`and the accumulating tank 1.4L., The pipe 13 vis fitted with al weighted check lvalve 17I situated near its point of connection with the tank- 16.

The yaccumulating tank 14 is preferably built ofreinforcedconcrete and rests upon thel'sea'floor at an even de-pthwith"the sepazlting ChamberS so that the air pressure is thefsamefin both.

`.'I"he highest tide leyel in the basin is indicated at B and thelowest tide level in the b asinat C which it will be noted is abo-ve lthe top of the pipe 18. The lowest tide leiie'li outside the basin is indicated at D. From B to lC indicatesthe amountof water usedv through the compressor before the incorningutide again reaches the level of C and beginsto supply new water to the basin.

Operation. In the operation of my plant` the rising tide opens the gate 4 and entersthe basin A till7 at high tide, the basin is iilled to the 7 and shaft 9 is left at a higher level estal -l lishinga head equal to the diiference betweenits level and that of the tide outside the sea wall.

Immediately the head is established the basin waterfiows down the water duct 20, and stand pipe along the tunnel 7 and up the shaft 9 to the sea.

In its flow down the water duct 2O the water flowing over the louvers set-s up apartial vacuum therein allowing` the flap gates 23 to open7 the suction causing an outn ward flow of air and the formation of bubbles which travel with the water in its downward flow where the air is trapped, the water passing up the discharge shaft 9 to the sea.

As the air is separated from the water invchavmber 8 itr displaces the waterv in pipes 10 and 12and simultaneously accumulates in chamber 8 and accumulating` tank 14E, the water in the latter. being expelled through blow-olf 15. This accumulation will continue until the air pressure is sufficient to raise valve 17 at which point the air will pass into storage tank 16. l

@wing to the fact that the dischargeA of the plant is in the open sea thefpressure of the accumulated air varies withA the tides, and in order to obtain aflow of compressed air at a constant pressure to tank 16 I adjust the weighted. check valve 17 tothe lowest ei'ective pressure inthe plant, which is the pressure of the lowest tide, thus maintaining a constant pressure in this tank.`

VThe most effective driving head occurs when the tide is lowest and, as the incoming tide approaches the level of the water within the basin, that head is reduced until the down flow in ,the water duct is insufficient to draw air from the nozzles. The compressor thus ceases to operate until such time as the outgoing tide reestablishes sufficient head to again set up operating conditions.

There is also a margin of time before and after complete cessation of its operation when the compressor is not compressing sufiicient air to equal the amount tov be supplied, and there is also a time during the low stages of the tide vwhen the compressor is furnishing compressed air in excess of such amount. It is the office of the accumulating tank 11i, therefore, to receive and storel such excess air and furnish it as required to carry over such tilI'leS, 0fv insufto the separating chamber 8 lll() licicnt power production, and together with the separating chamber, the reducing valve and the regulating tank to maintain a constant supply of compressed air at constant pressure. p

What l claim is as follows:

l. ln an hydraulic air compressor of the type described, the combination of a verti cally disposed Water conductor having its upper end or increased diameter; a vertically disposed air duct positioned within said enlarged upper end and providing a surrounding annular passage through the latter for the water, said duct having an open upper end and a closed lower end, and a plurality of short air suction nozzles mounted upon said duct and projecting radially therefrom into said annular passage, and devices mounted upon the duct in position overhanging said nozzles and adapted to increase the suction therethrough.

2. In an hydraulic air compressor of the type described, the combination of a vertically disposed water conductor having its upper end oz increased diameter; a vertically disposed air duct positioned within said enlarged upper end and providing a surrounding annular passage through the latter for the water, said duct having an open upper end and a closed lower end, and a plurality of short air suction nozzles mounted upon said duct and projecting radially therefrom into said annular passage; louvers mounted upon the duct inposition overhanging said nozzles for the purpose of increasing suction through the laltter, and valvular means preventing an inward iiow of water through said nozzles.

3. In an hydraulic air compressor of the type described, the combination of a vertically disposed water conductor having its upper end of increased diameter; a vertically disposed air duct positioned within said enlarged upper end and providing a surrounding annular passage through the latter for the water, said duct having an open upper end and a closed lower end, and a plurality of short nozzles mounted upon said duct and projecting radially therefrom into said annular passage; louvers mounted upon said duct in position overhanging said nozzles for the purpose of increasing suction through the latter, and valvular means preventing an inward ow of waterthrough said nozzles; said valvular means consisting of a flap valve hinged upon the outer end of each nozzle; a float movable in unison with the said valve whereby the valve is closed when the iloat is engaged by they water and when the float is clear or the water it acts as a counterweight producing a slight opening movement of the valve. f

4. A tidal motor consisting of a basin separated from the open sea by a liXed wall having a one-way port adapted to permit inward dow or the water from thesea into the'basin; an hydraulic air compressor consisting of a water conductor of substantially U-forin extending beneath the said fixed wall one arm or whichconductor communicates with the basin and the other with the sea; an airduct mounted in position within said first-mentioned arm whereby the air is sucked herefrom into tliedescending water; an air separating chamber forming an upward'extension ot said water conductor between its' arms; an air storage tank; and pipe adapted to conduct the air from said separating chamber into said tank, and an air accumulating tank located in position below the level of the first mentioned tank and a pipe eiiecting communication between the accumulating tank and the first mentioned pipe.

5. A tidal motor consisting of a basin separated from the open sea by a iixed Wall having a oneway port adapted to permit inward flow ot the water from the sea into the basin; an hydraulic air compressor consisting of a water conductor ot' substantially U- form extending beneath said fixed wall one arm of which conductor con'imunicates with the basin and the other with the sea, said first-mentioned arm having an enlarged upper end; an air duct positioned within said enlarged end and providing an annular space within the arm for the passage of water therethrough, the upper end oit' said air duct being open and extending` to a point above the highest water level within the basin and its lower end being closed, a plurality of nozzles mounted upon said air duct and projecting radially into said annular space whereby the air from the duct is sucked into the descending water; an air separating chamber forming ,an upward extension oil said water conductor between its arms; an air storage tank; a pipe adapted to conduct the air from the separating cham ber to said tank, an air accumulating tank submerged in the open sea and adapted to rest upon the sea floor, said last-mentioned tank having a blow-ott' adapted. to permit the entry of water thereinto and to provide an outlet for such water when air is introduced into the tank, and a pipeeiiecting communication withthe top of the interior of said last-mentioned tank and said firstmentioned pipe, the submerged tank being located at a lower level than the first-mentioned tank. i

i 6.' A tidal motor consisting of a basin separated from the open sea by a fixed wall having a one-way port adapted to permit inward flow of the water from the sea into the basin; an hydraulic air compressor consisting of al water conductor of substantially U- form extending beneath the said fixed wall one arm of which conductor communicates with the basin and the other with the sea; an air 'duct mounted in position within saidV hint-mentioned anni Wheeby the aii is sucked therefrom into the descending Water;

ratingl chamber into said tank; Weighted check valve 1n said pipe, and an accumulating tank located in position belowr the level of the tiret mentioned tank and a pipe effecting communication between the auxiliary tank and the 'first mentioned pipe.

In testimony whereof I have signed my neme to thisV specifica-tion in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN ST. LEGER MCGINN. 

